APH highlights wi-fi costs at UK airport lounges and hotels

7 September 2011

A recent survey by BDRC Continental found that 49% of business travellers are “very likely” to replace their number one choice hotel brand for one that offers free Wi-Fi*. In order to help business travellers plan ahead, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has compared the Wi-Fi costs in UK airport hotels and airport lounges which is available in the Know Before You Go section of the website at www.aph.com/wifi.

The research compares the cost of Wi-Fi access in airport hotels within 15 minutes of major UK airports highlighting the cost of access in hotel rooms, conference rooms and public areas. This includes the cost of Wi-Fi access in the private lounges of the same 24 airports.

Of the 93 hotels surveyed, only 44 were found to have free Wi-Fi in public areas including The Quality Hotel at Edinburgh Airport and The Best Western at London Gatwick Airport. With regards to Wi-Fi access in conference rooms, 66 offered access with only 36 making this available for free or included in the price of the room.

The research also found that the highest cost of hotel Wi-Fi was a substantial £8.16 per hour or £16.33 for 24 hours at a major hotel brand in Birmingham. There is also a large difference in the cost in rooms versus the cost in public areas with one Aberdeen hotel offering customers free Wi-Fi in public areas and a £15 charge for 24 hours in hotel rooms.

With regards to Airport Lounges, these were found to offer Wi-Fi access at a lower cost or included in the price of the lounge. However, three airport lounges of the 24 reviewed were found to charge for Wi-Fi with the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport charging £5 per hour, the Servisair Executive Lounge at London Gatwick Airport charging £3.02 per hour and The Aviance Lounge at London Luton Airport charging £1.50 per 15 minutes.

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Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) is the UK’s award winning airport parking operator and booking agency, after winning the Best Airport Parking Company at British Travel Awards 2010. This year APH also celebrates its 31st year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports as well as airport hotels packaged with parking and airport lounges. APH is also a carbon balanced company and has, through support of the World Land Trust, helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest.